1917. 



PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 



21a 



Work under the Dairy Law. — The inspection of Babcock ap- 

 paratus and glassware has shown conditions in general to be 

 quite satisfactory, and the utility of the law requiring the exam- 

 ination of glassware is made very apparent by the great reduc- 

 tion in the percentage of pieces condemned. A few years ago 

 the figure was often from 5 to 10 per cent., occasionally much 

 higher; for the last two years it has been a little under .1 per 

 cent. In 1916 out of 5,184 pieces examined only 5 were found 

 inaccurate. 



The following table with data relative to fertilizer and feed 

 inspection will be of interest : — 



Niimher of Official Samples. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN PROGRESS. 



The discussion of this subject prepared for inclusion in the 

 president's annual report is fairly comprehensive and at the 

 same time brief. It will be here repeated. 



There has been no change in general policy and but little in lines of 

 work in the experiment station during the year. Most of the problems 

 under investigation are fundamental, and will require considerable periods 

 of time for thorough study. This, it will be understood, does not mean 

 that results of immediate value in their application to our agriculture 

 are not being secured. Thus, for example, we are studying numerous 

 manurial and fertilizer problems, and in every line new lanes of darkness 

 are constantly disclosed; our results, nevertheless, enable us meanwhile 

 to give valuable suggestions. Precisely the same situation exists in 



